As Easy As ABC
by Shealtiel
Summary: And everything was suddenly perfect, no strings attached. Rated for mature themes and sexual references. AU from before Ryan and Cate's marriage. Oneshot.


As Easy As ABC  
by Shealtiel  
Rated: T for mature themes and sexual references.  
Summary: And everything was suddenly perfect, no strings attached.

**A/N: Hey. Some of this isn't very good and the flow is questionable, as I kind of just wanted to fulfill the ABC form I set for myself. Enjoy it anyway.**

**-|XXX|-**

At first, Cate felt amazing. She thought that maybe, just maybe, this was her chance to get back at the world. The most popular boy in school had not only looked at her twice, he'd slept with her. He'd taken her virginity. That had to mean something.

Before she ever even had a chance to talk to him, she heard him. He'd denied the whole thing, insulted her, acted as if the whole thing hadn't happened.

Course, it had ended in disaster. Pregnant at sixteen, to a guy who didn't give a damn about her or the baby, stuck in the limbo between childhood and motherhood. It was the most awful decision she'd ever had to make. But the baby would be better off without her, without this irresponsible idiot calling himself her dad. Or not calling himself that.

Didn't he ever think about that kid that might have been? Cate had spent every day for sixteen years thinking about her, thinking about that beautiful baby girl that had been a part of her, and unfortunately, a part of him.

Eventually, she had to forgive herself. She had to forgive him. The latter proved difficult. Because she had to know what had happened to her beautiful baby girl, but she'd given up that right when she'd forsaken that part of herself.

For fifteen years and 364 days she tortured herself, over and over, until she nearly killed herself from guilt. And she had to forget about it. She had to forget. That baby was better off now.

Getting that call on the radio, meeting him in the parking lot, seeing that beautiful baby girl again was like the completion of her life. She didn't need anything else after that moment with the two people she would remember every day for the rest of her life.

Having a kid was a big responsibility. She knew that. She didn't know if she was ready for that. But she couldn't give that beautiful girl up again, not again. She wasn't sure she could give him up either. He was something special to her, idiot or not, and she couldn't forget what they'd made together.

Idiots weren't always easy to be around. They weren't always easy to get along with either. But Cate had to try, for Lux's sake. She wanted Lux to have her father; she knew what it felt like not to have one around.

Just because he could barely take care of himself back then didn't mean he hadn't changed. It didn't mean he couldn't take care of himself now, and it didn't mean he couldn't take care of Lux. They were in this together.

Kind of torturing him for what he'd done all those years ago wasn't worth it either. Not when it wasn't doing Lux any good. Not when it was being detrimental to her life. She had to stop torturing him, and she had to stop torturing herself.

Living with a teenager wasn't always easy either. She was moody, temperamental and bitchy, and she had issues that Cate could hardly comprehend. But she was Cate's daughter. Cate loved her. She wouldn't make the same mistake again.

More than that, Cate couldn't deal with Baze. Lux she could handle. Lux was her daughter, and she could wrap her mind around that. But what was Baze? Her life had been turned upside down because of this man that she couldn't figure out. Where did he fit in her life? Not in Lux's, but hers?

No amount of 'thinking through things' brought Cate an answer. In the meantime, Baze was around and Ryan wasn't. She was supposed to be getting married soon, and her fiancé wasn't even around to help her get ready for it. And this mystery man in her life was there. He picked up dresses, called the florist, made sure the decorations were ready. He drove her around wherever she needed to go, and he didn't say a word about it. It might as well have been his wedding.

Over the course of a week, it was like he was her new best friend. And Ryan wasn't even there to hate him for it. Lux seemed happy, Baze sure was. But why? Why was he doing this? And why was she marrying Ryan again?

Planning a wedding wasn't her favourite thing to do. In fact, she hated it. She didn't know why she was even getting married anymore. Baze was on the sidelines when she backed out of it too. He was there, waiting.

Quietly, she told Ryan she couldn't do this _thing_ anymore, whatever it was. She couldn't be with him when she wanted someone else. And not just anyone else. Baze.

Right was a subjective concept, wasn't it? Maybe in one life, Ryan was right for her, but maybe in another, Baze was. And maybe this was Baze's life?

So maybe that's how she ended up at Baze's bar at 1 in the morning, waiting for him to say something. Anything. She had to know. Had she done the right thing?

Turned out he loved her too actually. And it blew her mind how two such amazing men could both be willing to halt their lives for her, take her under any circumstances, no matter what she'd done. It actually made her kind of sad.

Ultimately though, she loved Baze. She loved him. That was it. They could be a family now. He was the father of her child, the most precious person in her life now, and she couldn't forget how she'd felt the day after it had all happened, how happy, how excited. And this was no different than high school. Who was she kidding?

Vainly, she thought she wanted Ryan to pine after her. But when he moved on and started dating again, when they could still do their show together, no hard feelings attached, she felt better. She really felt better. And she couldn't describe why.

Whoever had said that fantasies couldn't happen? Of course, this is what he owed her anyway, this at least. Their child was special, and she wanted more than child support.

Xenia aside, her simple wish was that they could be a family. A complete unit, three people who loved each other more than anyone in the world and who could be happy together and miserable apart. And the best part? Telling Lux.

Yeah, sure, they had their problems; every family does. But the best part was when they got through their fights, and knew that they'd always be there together, as a family. They'd always have each other, no matter what they did or said to each other. Because Lux was their daughter, and nothing could change that, nothing could take that away from them. It would always hold them together, that fact, problems aside.

Zero protest from Lux was one of the best parts. Lux had loved Ryan but Ryan wasn't her dad. They weren't the same kind of family Lux could have with Cate and Baze. And everything was suddenly perfect, no strings attached. Life had sure been unexpected, but hadn't it turned out perfect in the end?

**-|XXX|-**

**A/N2: Review if you like. Whatevs.**


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